Results and plans of the IPv6 test-bed initiatives within the European Commission IST Programme

Abstract

We present an overview of the IPv6 projects being undertaken within the European Commission's Fifth Framework Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme. The Programme's coverage reaches to a broad range of topics across the computing and networking spectrum. It includes GEANT the network connecting the European National Research and Education Networks (NRENs). It also covers projects focusing on IPv6, and those focusing elsewhere but seeking to embrace IPv6 in their scope. The major projects are GEANT, which is now planning introduction of IPv6 services to the existing IPv4 backbone, 6NET which has deployed a pan-European IPv6-only academic network, and Euro6IX, which is building a network of IPv6 exchange points.